Brainstem Circuits for 3D Movements
Our work has detailed brainstem circuits for yaw movement and is now exploring the less understood pitch and roll functions, crucial for head orientation and body posture, by analyzing the vestibular nuclei’s role in these movements.
Vestibular Motor Actions
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Movement about the three cardinal axes (yaw, pitch, and roll) is essential for orienting the head and body in 3D space. While our previous work has elucidated brainstem yaw circuits in anatomical, molecular, and functional detail (Nat Neurosci, 2020), there is little information regarding the modalities of pitch and roll. These latter functions are crucial for orienting the head toward objects of interest, but also for adjusting mouse body posture in ethologically relevant contexts, such as rearing, self-righting, and balance. To reveal brainstem circuits that execute pitch and roll commands, we are dissecting input/output connectivity of the vestibular nuclei, which are essential for these functions.